An Education (not the movie)

We stand there, totally bored, waiting for the elevator to descend from floor 9 to zero. I see a couple of familiar faces who acknowledge me as if I'm a domestic help or nanny to this little mound of flesh, tugging on to my shirt's sleeves.

Their stern gaze gets softer as it shifts from me to my son, who jumps up saying an impromptu "Hello" as a courtesy, which turns out to be a conversation starter.

Them: Does he go to school?
Me: Yeah, he goes to a Montessori.

Them: Oh. What class is he in? Must be playschool now?
Me: They don't have a concept of class. But compared to regular system of education, he is about to finish his playschool and starts preschool this session.

Them: How long has he been going to school?
Me: Almost 8 months.

Them: Wow. What all has he learnt? (turning to son) Beta, what all do you learn at school? Can you say all the alphabets? Numbers?
Son: No! (feeling a little flustered at this IIT Level interview that he's been subjected to)

Them: No? You've not learnt alphabets? (points to the alphabet 'A' in capitals on a flyer pasted outside the lift) What alphabet is this?
Son: H! (Exclaims excitedly)

Them: Not a very good school he goes to. Can't tell the difference between A and H. What has he learnt all these months?
Me (to Son): Beta, that's an A. Ok?

The elevator arrives and the interview continues inside.

Them: You should change the school. Are you happy with his progress?
Me: Yeah..It's a Montessori actually. Their methods are different. Every kid learns at a different pace.

Them: What rubbish? These days schools want to make money by charging high and not teaching anything. See your son. Almost 3 and doesn't even know alphabets properly. My grand daughter knew them before she turned 2. Take a wise decision and pull him out.

And they get out of the lift as we reach their floor. So many words exchanged within a couple of minutes.

I look at my son in embarrassment and anger. He always seemed so smart growing up. Is the school really not good enough? Is he really not learning?

We get inside our home and as I prepare to wash the veggies for dinner, I hear my son pull out some action figurines and enact a monologue between Batman and Spiderman (with Hulk appearing to offer some special effects). I'm almost mad at him for not paying attention and not learning as quick as the imagined potential that I thought he possessed. I take out an alphabets puzzle and ask him to tell me all the alphabets correctly. He refuses. He's not interested in ABCD. He wants to continue playing with the action figures. I quickly lose my temper and walk away saying, "Please don't talk to me until you want to read the alphabets".

I bring the ladyfingers to dry them on a soft towel on the dining table. As I bring out the knife and the chopping board, my son comes up to me enthusiastically and asks me, "Mumma what is this?". I ignore him and he comes even closer, grabs hold of my hand and asks me again, " Mumma, what is this?". I retort rather angrily, "It's called ladyfinger. Now go away".

He looks at the knife and the chopping board and says, " Mumma I want to cut". All the while, his gaze is fixed on the knife. I'm worried when he insists rather stubbornly, "Mumma, I'll cut it". I decide to let him have a go and I'm surprised at his grip and the ease with which he's chopping each ladyfinger into 3 pieces. I'm amazed that his motor skills have improved so much and I didn't even know.

Maybe I wasn't paying attention. Maybe I was busy listening to others' opinion as to what my three-year old ought to know. Maybe he'd been secretly observing me chop veggies and learnt it, like Ekalavya learns from Dronacharya.

My heart was filled with pride thinking about how quickly my son picked up a life skill, just by looking at me.

Me: Beta, how did you learn to cut so nicely.
Son: Mumma, I learnt this at school!

Tamasha

Finally managed to watch Tamasha today, and boy! Last time a movie haunted me so much was Dev D (although that one was another level. I remember coming back from the theatre thinking "What on earth was that?" and waking up next morning like I'd just woken up from a drug induced sleep. But, back to Tamasha).

It seems like a very ambitious, yet flawed way to look at existential crisis, but isn't life flawed too? I'm no critic or someone who has deep understanding about movies. They either stay with me, or they don't.

Tamasha stays with me only because of Ranbir. Unlike him, I have had a lovely and supportive family that always gave me the space to take any road I wanted. For most of my life, I've dreamt of taking the one less traveled but until now, I'm still on a journey which doesn't quite lead me to the destination I want to reach. The Asterix in Corsica kind of motivation seems long forgotten.

There's a scene when Ranbir tells his parents that he's been jobless for six months and his dad admonishes him saying those who don't have any problems in life , will create a problem for themselves. I've been told something similar many a times. That I wallow in self-pity and blame others for my life. The thing is, like Jude Law in The Holiday, I'm a weeper. I cry for the smallest of things. I cry when I'm hungry. I cry when I'm happy. I cry when I'm sad. But that's just me.

Anyways, coming back from the detours and continuing the journey - I've opted for the 'safe bets' far too long and in the process forgotten myself. Forgotten what I like or want. I watch and re-watch Ken Robinson's TED Talk and wonder about my 'Element' and why it all seems so hazy. When it was, in fact, my own decisions that got me here.

I feel anger, frustration, disappointment - just like Ranbir. I hurt loved ones by words or actions - just like Ranbir. Somewhere, his character resonates so much, it just numbs down every emotion and forces me to look deeper within.

Maybe dig out that girl who used to wake up at 5 AM for a live broadcast on Discovery, of the excavation of a mysterious tomb in Egypt.

Or find that person who watched every episode of The Amazing Race, not for the tasks or to cheer teams, but to look at cultures and people across the world and dream about going to those places.

Or just become that girl who felt like writing a blog because she wanted to. Well, at least, here's a start.

Blood Bonding and Beyond

I've loved you even before I could understand what it meant to be an 'elder sister'. You were my precious ever since I could remember your existence in my life.

Sitting next to you, adjusting your blanket while you were asleep (even if it were perfectly in place :P), waiting for you to wake up so that I could hold your milk  bottle up to feed you - you gave me my first sense of 'being mommy and doing mommy duties' very early on.

You're also the bravest person I've known - remember how you came back from the doctor's place and told me without blinking that he/she removed that infection on your hand with a knife (I think?). There I was getting scared of putting a needle through my veins and you went ahead and did this. Whoa moment for me - you'd grown up!


All these years, we've had so many fights, patch ups, growing apart and getting back closer than ever - how fast did these 25 years pass with you around? When did you become this amazing woman who has been putting everyone ahead of you so selflessly and tirelessly? Where do you find the courage and strength to push yourself every time? You're a wonder woman and I hope you do realize how amazingly wonderful you are and how much we all love you!

I wish we could've done a little more for today. But zindagi abhi shuru Hi hui hai mere dost :P I promise you, life will get a lot more awesome ahead and we'll do everything we'd planned. You're going to get more than Barney level awesome :P I've never dedicated a post to you because I'm too senti about you reading it and reliving old times but I guess now's the best time to do it.

I love you Jolls. We all adore you to the moon and back, baby sis. Happy 25th and may all your dreams come true. Stay awesome and jolly good always. :*

An Open Letter to Army in Secunderabad Cantonment

Dear 'Top Officials' in Secunderabad Cantonment,

How's it going? I'm sure you are facing a tough time answering civilians about vehicular movement in our, sorry, your area. I'd like to apologize on their behalf. These civilians , including my parents, don't understand your predicament. As a civilian living in the cantonment limits, please allow me to justify your decisions to other civilian-kinds.

So listen up, all you civilian residents of Secunderabad Cantonment:

Reasons for road blockades
1. Hit and Run Cases
Civilians, you drive recklessly in the cantonment. Just because the congestion of city traffic doesn't allow you to test the horse power on your vehicle, doesn't mean you go to the cantonment and drive recklessly. Only military trucks and families of these personnel are allowed to do that in cantonment roads. Wait for my 9 month old son to grow up and he'll tell you how exhilarating it was to be almost sent off road by one of them trucks. We've never felt more patriotic. After all, this is how we all secretly want to die, don't we?

2. The Stress of Crossing the road
You know all about it, right? Trying to cross the road without being run over? Yeah. Same logic. If our jawans cannot contain traffic in their areas, how do you expect them to cross the road to go and train? This is a serious matter of national importance. Please let them cross the road. You all can take other routes and by lanes. Now go!

3. Porous area and security
Security of military installations is of utmost importance. Even you will admit this. The army has to prevent civilians like us from getting lost in the huge cantonment, getting frustrated and being a threat to military installations. After all, if civilians like my parents, who do not remember the route to their own homes aren't a threat, then who are?

4. Cannot compromise military security for civilian inconvenience
You civilians are so petty. You're just driving to and fro your workplace, stuck in hours of traffic everyday, to get to your 9-5 jobs. You call it a struggle? You've got to do what you've got to do and earn money. If you don't earn and pay taxes, how will you be able to fund for your security and peace of mind? So stop whining and drive a few extra kilometers everyday through the potholed roads, get back to work and pay taxes until you retire.

Please allow me, dear top officials, to offer some solace to my fellow civilians.

Here's a Civilian idiots guide to surviving the Secunderabad cantonment road blockade:
1. Get essential services like gas agencies, supermarkets, water tankers etc. to sign up for Amazon's drone delivery to your doorstep. How cool is that? Problem solved.

2. Plant more Money Plants (coz money just doesn't grow on trees). That will solve your growing expenses of paying for your fuel that you will incur taking longer routes. Saving on natural reserves? What's for? Don't worry. We'll all soon be rich to just bomb an oil rich country.

3. Addendum to point 2, if you are getting a pay hike, keep it aside for taxes. Don't account for fuel expenses in these as you will pay taxes to keep the defense allocation going. Just remember CORC - Conquer Oil Rich Countries.

4. Is a Loved one unwell? Need to rush to the hospital? Stressed about how EMRI Ambulances will reach you? Worry not. Hire Batman in case of medical emergencies. I'd suggest others but Batman is the best. He's got a pretty cool bat mobile - just the right vehicle for emergencies.

5. Got no time to take care of your house, since you are spending more time now commuting? Give your house on rent to an army officer. They get truckload of help. You're not wanted in "their" area anyways.

6. If you are going to miss seeing the beautiful cantonment, befriend an army officer or their family. They'll show you around without you even asking to. Security? What's security between children of defense personnel and their civilian friends!

If even these things don't help, don't go back to Andhra Sub area on your weekend, to fight over a Rs.20 sticker pass for your vehicle's entry in the cantonment. Drop me a mail and I'll send you a cool ”TORMENTED CIVILIAN” sticker that you can proudly stick on your vehicle. Free of cost. *offer valid only for civilians living in the cantonment*

There. I hope I've helped you army guys a little bit. Now please go cross the roads in peace.

Yours Sincerely,
A Tormented Civilian

And you'll make me proud

My sweet little Aayansh,
ALWAYS see the good in people
And you'll make me proud.

Never judge someone by their name
And you'll make me proud.

Find a way to connect with hearts
And you'll make me proud.

Remember that it was a woman who created you.
Never assume a woman to be weak.
And you'll make me proud.

Don't get good grades, but try to find the answers
And you'll make me proud.

Don't always accept things people say.
Ask questions.
And you'll make me proud.

If you ever bring a tear to someone's eye
Make them smile and you'll make me proud.

Give respect and earn it
And you'll make me proud.

Don't laugh at another's expense
Learn to laugh at yourself
And you'll make me proud.

Never compare your wife to your mother
Remember she loves you as much as (or more than) I do.
And you'll make me proud.

Read, travel and explore because you want to.
Not to post pictures to social networking sites.
And you'll make me proud.

Acknowledge other people and cultures.
Learn to enjoy their diversity without comparing.
And you'll make me proud.

Be humble and Know that someone out there might be better than you.
And you'll make me proud.

Do what gives you happiness
And you'll make me proud.

And share that happiness with people you love the most
And you'll make me proud.

My Little Big Man

My Dearest Aayu,

You are three and a half months old now and sometimes I forget how tiny you are. When I hold you close and look into your beautiful, almond-shaped eyes, you seem like a grown man who understands every thing I do or do not say. And then, there are times when I put my palm over your chest while you  are asleep, I  realize that you and I have a lot of growing up to do.

I love you more than I love anyone in the world. Thanks for coming into my life and giving me the chance of being called a mommy.

So long, Mr. Potter

And it all ends, say the posters for the final installment in Harry Potter series. Maybe it does, for the creators of the movie. But for ardent fans like us, it never will.

As the second part of the final Potter movie hits cinema halls worldwide, I'm filled with a sort of nostalgia, almost not wanting to see the movie itself. For me, Harry Potter has not been the story of the boy wizard, but of several memories associated with its publishing period.

I picked up my copy of the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, sometime in late 2000. My grandmother had just passed away and my world seemed to have gone into a seemingly unending mess. My grades in school fell, I was shifted to a section meant for 'weak students', and I was always a more than average student. I just couldn't take it. I was forever scared that either my father or my mother or both may die soon and I will have no one in the world to look after me. I was bordering on paranoia.

Around the same time, newspapers carried stories of this book series that had become an international sensation. Harry Potter. The more I read about it, the more I wanted to know what it was all about. Then, after the unfortunate events of 2000, I didn't have the chance to think about it. One day, after things at home had settled a bit, my father and uncle decided to go to this book-cum-CD-store to pick up a few movies. Papa asked me if I wanted something. I merely wrote down the name 'Harry Potter' on a piece of paper and gave it to him. An hour later I got a call, 'There are four books. Which one do you want me to bring?". Not having read any, I asked him to bring me just the first one.

I started reading it and fell in love with the characters. This was my Enid Blyton. Somehow, all the magic that Harry did and the wonderful friends that he had, made me feel good. And knowing that there is more, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the subsequent books. I managed to get hold of those books from friends and continued to read them whenever I could manage. I wanted to read it even when I had my board exams.

And then the movies came out shortly after I started reading the second one. Daniel Radcliffe gave a face to the Harry that I had so far been imagining. So did other prominent actors. In all the subsequent books that I read, I could imagine Alan Rickman as Snape, Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore and Maggie Smith as Minerva Mcgonagall. It was a fairytale period, those years.

Even now as I remember those moments, it makes me want to thank J.K.Rowling for giving me Harry Potter. For all the days in college when I read the books during ongoing lectures, for all the times I looked forward to something for the first time, for the only biggest source of joy I remember from my adolescent life - I thank you.

And now, the last movie hits theaters today. I will watch it, even if I don't want to. I would rather live in this world where I can look forward to 'one more Potter movie or book' and remember those days that made me who I am today. Harry Potter literally saved me in many ways. It truly did. Without it, in those months after my grandmother's death, life would have been much more difficult. But Potter and his magic, did a wonderful trick to direct my heart to someplace better than where it was.

There will be no more Potter books or movies. Probably it is better this way. I have moved on to other series and look forward to new things everyday. But each time I think about my Potter-crazy days, I cannot feel anything but happiness associated with those memories.

I have six out of the seven Potter books at my parents' place in Hyderabad. The only one that I don't have is the sixth one, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which incidentally is my favourite. I'm still looking for a good deal on a Hardcover edition for that one and then my Potter collection will be complete.

Maybe that is why it doesn't end for me yet. That one book missing from my collection. But I shall have it one day, and then what? Nothing. It'll remain so until the day I want to start to re-live those moments again. And maybe when I am older and my children want to read books from my library, I can recommend it to them. Maybe they'll like it. Maybe they won't. Who knows?

Till then, so long Mr. Potter. Thanks for the magic that you've brought into the lives of millions of children worldwide.

Once Upon a World Cup

There you are. India beat Pakistan in the 2011 Cricket World Cup Semi-Final and will now face the Sri Lankans tomorrow. There. Every Indian is happy. The victory sparked off wild celebrations, even in dry Ahmedabad (Formally dry. Informally, like Sabarmati flows the Scotch).

That morning, before the match had begun, I was thinking, "What if we lose this match now? How would the Indian fans take it? After all, it IS Pakistan. And every news channel is already gung-ho about this match and the political who's who attending". Indeed, this match was seemingly becoming bigger than cricket itself. But then again, aren't all Indo-Pak matches are?

Meanwhile, my mind decided to pull into reverse-gear and arrived at the flashback of the 1999 World Cup. A couple of my cousins and I, ages 9-12, used to gather at this aunt's place to watch the matches. Some Pizza outlet had a scheme running -

"Call 66333444 when a Batsman hits a six. Name the Batsman. First caller wins a Pizza".

This was just brilliant. A free Pizza was like the biggest dream of our life. And we all decided to try our luck at every single match. We had the number on speed-dial and took turns to sit next to the telephone. The number, however, was always "busy". Too young to realize the marketing strategy, we had plenty of hope that one day, we shall get to the Pizza.

India - Sri Lanka Match. 26 May, 1999, Taunton (England).

Without much luck in the previous matches, we were hoping we'd strike Pizza in this one. We had this younger cousin of ours, Puneet, put the number on speed dial and wait for someone to hit a six.

Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid were batting. The signs were ominous. Somebody was going to hit a six. And we had Pizza Puneet ready to make the call. All of 10 and hungry for free Pizza, he waited anxiously, praying. Then came the moment we were all waiting for. Ganguly hit a massive six and we rejoiced. One more shot at the Pizza. Puneet speed-dialed and it was finally ringing at the other end. Someone picked up -

Man - Hello?

Puneet - Hello. Hello (stammering. Still thinking about the Pizza)

Man - Yes?

Puneet - Haan. Hello. Hello? Ganguly ne chakka maara. Ganguly ne chakka maara!! (Ganguly hit a six)

Man - Haan to? Main kya karoon? (So. What am I supposed to do?)

Puneet - Pizza bhejo na. Ganguly ne chakka maara hai. Pizza jeete hum log. Bhejo. (Send the Pizza. Ganguly hit a six. We've won the Pizza.)

Man - Kya? Kaun sa number chaahiye? (What? What number did you dial?)

Puneet -66633444.

Man - Number sahi hai..par kya Pizza? (The number is correct. But what Pizza?)

The moment he said the number we were shouting behind him to put the phone down. Wrong number. Wrong number.
DOUBLE SIX, TRIPLE THREE, TRIPLE FOUR You Idiot.
Not TRIPLE SIX, DOUBLE THREE, TRIPLE FOUR.

A few of us slapped our fore-head as Ganguly hit another six. And THEN we all laughed. Puneet thought we were all going to hit him for the missed chance. When that didn't happen, he joined us to share this moment.

Ganguly went on and hit a few more sixes in that memorable innings where he scored 183. However, thanks to Puneet, we remember the match more for the Pizza rather than the final outcome.

Did we call again? No. Everytime Ganguly hit a six, we joked around as Puneet looked on sheepishly.

Did we get the Pizza? Yes. Not immediately though. And definitely not free.

Thinking about it now, watching cricket for reasons beyond cricket, has always been a way of life. At least for me.

:)

Look who's back!

Hee Hee.

Now, if you thought I forgot all about this blog, wrong you were. Might have been selective amnesia, yes. Might have been sheer boredom, yes. Even so, I have decided to get back to my blogger-ship which got me plenty of wonderful friends and readers alike.

I stopped blogging here because of all the zillion things happening in my life. And this blog was a bitter-sweet reminder of all the memories I had stored, some of which I wanted to forget. I started other blogs but couldn't bring myself to write as regularly as I used to write here. So here I am again. Where I began. To continue where I'd left and maybe start anew.

Hello, my dear blog. I've missed you very much.

P.S: You can keep me blog-rolled now. Hee.

P.P.S: And yeah. You can find this shit on "http://snehriti.in" as well. HeeHee.

Blank

It doesn't make any sense. This life. And the unexpected turns it takes.

I came back home early on Wednesday. So that I can spend time with loved ones while everyone in college wanted me to stay back. Spend time to reconnect with family members where relationships once treasured were souring in the last few years. I loved them all, despite whatever I said to the contrary. Shopping was also big on my list and I was to begin on Saturday.

Saturday. Another day of the week I'm going to come to hate.

I did go shopping. For clothes, as I'd already planned. But not for me. For the last clothes I'd ever buy for her. For the last saree she was ever going to wear and be cremated with. I still cannot believe she's gone.

She came back to me last night. In dreams filled with visuals of all the moments I'd spent with her. Her remarks when I asked her as to how we shared the same birthday: that I was her gift from god when she asked him for a birthday present and for many years I believed that. The one of a kind dal that only she could make, filled with warmth and love that only Mumma or Dadi could match. The hugs that were so natural as a kid which slowly drifted as we grew older. Those days of shopping for brothers on their wedding. Those days that I came back everyday from my work at the CA firm -tired and hungry. That laugh that still echoes.

It still haunts me. The last movie in theatre that we saw together. SAAWARIYA. Around 10 of us. And she was bored from the beginning. "Yeh Hero to ekdum chhokri jaisa lagta hai" , She said. It was fun. She was fun. Despite all my growing tempers all these years against everything, I still loved her. Coz she loved me and I sure did hurt her by openly flaunting my displeasures.

Two weeks ago when I came to know she was bed-ridden, I spoke to her on the phone. She said, "I'll be alright in time for your wedding". I came to meet her on Wednesday, the day I came back to the city. She looked discomforted, but then not such that anyone could imagine she would leave us so suddenly.

While we waited at the hospital and kept hearing about her sinking state, Jolly kept saying, "Keep faith. Mobilize energy. I'm sure if we're positive, she'll be fine soon". We tried. We lost. She died in the same hospital she lost her husband at. And I've lost three loved ones in that building now. I cannot bear to look at it once more.

As we stood there to pay respect to her lifeless body there, I could not hold back the tears I'd been holding all day. The wedding will not be the same without her. When I was younger, she was the only surviving person with whom I'd discussed my wedding and she'd always been the one most excited about it. I'd decided to let her know before I came here that I'd want her to be there, right there with Mummy Papa for all the rituals. With her gone now, I cannot cannot cannot imagine how things would be. How our lives would be. We'll move on in due time. But then, I'm going to regret that last moment that I saw her alive and I didn't hug her even when I really wanted to.

I wish I'd hugged you and told you that I love you and I'm sorry for being so rude in the last few years. I wish...

I'm going to miss you Kanak Bua. I still cannot believe you and I are not going to celebrate our birthday together ever again.

Hates placements!

Not that they mattered to me. I knew from the minute I stepped into ACJ that there was little chance of me walking out with a job. Always knew I'd have to fend for myself later on and I'm sure something worthwhile will come my way. But even so, I hate placements.

It doesn't feel nice to see some very deserving students losing hope after not getting placed anywhere, four days into placements season. Some of the brightest people are still awaiting calls to be interviewed. It is depressing to see these grim faces and the campus feels like a prison.

I hope things change soon around here.

Roomie Woomie Haaye Rabba!

Room 101 ACJ Rocks!! (Wall art by Amma)

One of my roomies is singing really loudly even as I am typing this. I think she is singing "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun". Wait. Lemme check.

*tip toes to the other side of the room. Peeks. tip toes back*

Err. It is an unrecognizable Telugu song.

Now, I've been thinking lately about my first few days here at ACJ. With no known friends (of course, immediate roomie I'd met during the interview and told her I'm getting married soon and she suggested I run away, assuming that it was an arranged marriage :P); I was like "What have I done? Why have I come here?". But soon, I realised I have the best possible roomies that I could get.

Proud to say ours is the coolest and the most peaceful room in the entire hostel (me and my roomies think so :P). Here is a few reasons why:

Reason # 1: We are simply the best combination of room-mates. Three Hyderabadis and One Japanese...errr...Pune-ite (Now THAT is something that can get me killed....) :P

Reason # 2: We have the most adorable 'adopted roomie' in the whole not-so-wide hostel. Her laptop goes by the name of "Pupul Chatter-PC". HOW COOL IS THAT? :)

Reason # 3: We don't communicate like normal mortals do. We chat. Online. Sitting across two beds in the same part of the room or even sitting in ANY PART OF THE ROOM. We chat. ONLINE. Beat that!

Reason # 4: We have an awesomely balanced sense of humour. Two tell legen....wait for it....dary jokes, one tells pathetic jokes and one...well, finds everything a joke. The adopted roomie is a walking, talking, jumping, 4'10 joker. She'd make Heath Ledger proud I say.

Reason # 5: No one smokes or drinks here (well drinking occasionally doesn't count as drinking, right?). We don't fight, we just bug each other a lot.

Yeah. That's that. I THINK my roomies are the best. Original and adopted combined. Ok?? OK.

What's that noise? Oh. It is roomie again. I think NOW she's singing Hum Aapke Hain Kaun.

NO.

It is some Telugu movie song again. DAMN!

Roomie Woomie Haaye Rabba!

Love - AAJ KAL

Was just talking to roomie about a couple of '89ers displaying a proud status message "IN A RELATIONSHIP" on Facebook. This is what my newsfeed was showing, about one such couple, who went from being in a relationship... to single.

Sigh! Love aaj kal.

(click on image to read)

THE BLUE MUG

Pic source: Deccan Chronicle

The Blue Mug - A play featuring Ranvir Shorey, Rajat Kapoor, Konkana Sen Sharma, Vinay Pathak, Sheeba Chaddha and Munish Bharadwaj.

The play spoke about memories - and how important it is to our lives. All the characters depicted memories that they remembered...something close to their heart. Most of it was part of the act but god did I enjoy the play.

Speaking of memories.

I will always remember THESE from today:

1) I was not keen on going for the play but after insistence from the gang, I gave in.

2) Until this day, I always assumed I was a "non-play" kind of person. Today I know I'M NOT! I LOVED IT.

3) This was the first time ever that I'd gone to see a play IN MY LIFE. (Pooja's reaction was just priceless when I told her that...It's not a big deal you know Poo bear :P )

4) I met Ranvir Shorey, Rajat Kapoor, Konkana Sen Sharma and Vinay Pathak after the play and rued the fact that I didn't get a camera with me.

5) Realized how approachable these actors were and now know the true worth of stage plays. (Konkana was so sweet... An old man had come to talk to her after the play and she went up to him and said Namaste! It was so natural. It was such a wonderful feeling. Ranvir stood next to me, with a wonderful smile on his face. He looked at Konkana with pride. He left with her, hand in hand, after she was done talking to the old man.)

It was a truly wonderful day for me. I'll remember it for a very long time.

Thanks Ye ACJ Bunch. I LOVE YOU GUYS! :)

Happiness!

All my life, I've tried to understand what true happiness is.

Was it when I got good grades?

Was it when I got my scooty?

Was it when I finally did what I wanted to?

I kept thinking even as happiness ensued me.

HAPPINESS:

was when I went home last diwali and felt like a daughter

was when he told me money will come, moment may not

was when he shared tiny yet significant moments of his life with me

was when mumma told me she called him up 'just cos she felt like it'

was when I was down with fever and for the first time someone took care of me, just like I'd imagined

was when we went to eat kulfi in the middle of the night

was when I realized how complete my life is

was when I realized I can be happy without buying something material

was when I watched a youtube video which made no sense to me, yet was familiar coz it reminded me of him

Happiness is all these small things which bring a smile to your face...and it comes in doses.

Right when you need them. :)

100 TRUTHS

Have been having a hard time posting something up. Have found on previous occassions that 'tags' are my answer to this blog-block: HERE GOES 100 TRUTHS (a tag I flicked off Renu Aunty's blog)

1. Last drink: Water

2. Last phone call: Snehal Patel (fiance)

3. Last text message: Shreedutta Vasudeva (Chids)

4. Last song you listened to: 'Before the Dawn' by Evanescence

5. Last time you cried: 22 February 2010

HAVE YOU EVER...
6. Dated someone twice: Still dating Snehal Patel...over a million times :P

7. Been cheated upon? Nope

8. Kissed someone & regretted it? Nope

9. Lost someone special? Yes

10. Been depressed? PLENTY of time

11. Been drunk and threw up? Drunk (unintentionally), yes. Threw up, NO.

LIST THREE FAVOURITE COLOURS:
12. Lavender
13. White
14. Beige

FIRSTS :
15. Made new friends: Asian College of Journalism, Chennai

16. Fallen out of love: Too deep in it to fall out of it :)

17. Laughed until you cried: Almost always :)

18. Met someone who changed you: Yes. My Fiance.

19. Found out who your true friends were: Yes.

20. Found out someone was talking about you: Yes. :)

HAVE/YOU:
21. Kissed anyone on your friend's list: No.

22. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life: Plenty

23. How many kids do you want to have: Two.

24. Do you have any pets: No

25. Do you want to change your name: No.

26. What did you do for your last birthday: Had a party at a rooftop hotel, just for family.

27. What time did you wake up today: 7 am for a damn 'photo shoot' (otherwise I'm up by 8:30)

28. What were you doing at midnight last night: Reading something on KERS

29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: Starting a new life with my better half.

30. Last time you saw your father: January 27 when I went home for the Republic day holidays.

31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: NOTHING. Whatever needed to be changed, has already been.

32. Most visited web page: ACJNEWSLINE :P (To keep checking if our links work properly)

Whats your:
33. Name: Smriti

34. Nicknames: DD, Deeds, Deedee, Sammi, Sam, Smutty, Smartie, Smarts, Simmi

35. Zodiac sign: Taurus

36. Male or female or transgender: ?????

37. Elementary: ???????

38. School: Taraporewalla Montessori House of Children and Harvard P.S, Hyderabad

39. Colleges: OU, Asian College of Journalism

40. Hair color: Coloured Dark Chocolate :P

41. Long or short: Medium

42. Height: 5'2"

43. Do you have a crush on someone? Kimi Raikkonen

44. Ever been in love? Yes. Still am.

45. Piercings? Ears.

46. Tattoos? Nope.

47. Righty or lefty: All Righty Right.

48. First surgery: None

49. First piercing: Ears

50. First best friend: Prashant

51. First sport you loved: Cricket

52. First pet: None yet

53. First vacation: Can't remember honestly.

54. First concert: Might have been the Lata Mangeshkar concert at Hyderabad

55. First crush: Prashant.

RIGHT NOW:
56. Eating: Shreedutta's head.

57. Drinking: Water.

58. I'm about to: Sleep.

59. Listening to: Hello Hurricane by Switchfoot

60. Waiting for: a free day in the life of ACJians.

YOUR/FUTURE
61. Want kids? Of Course.

62. Want to get married? Yes. AND not running away from the mandap :P

63. Careers in mind? Journalism, Teaching too.

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?
64. Lips or eyes: Eyes.

65. Hugs or kisses: Both. :P

66. Shorter or taller: Medium.

67. Older or Younger: Anything.

68. Romantic or spontaneous: Rom Rom Antic. :p

69. Nice stomach or nice arms: Ehh? Nice BRAIN.

70. Sensitive or loud: Sensitive

71. Hook-up or relationship: Relationship

72. Trouble maker or hesitant: Both.

HAVE YOU EVER :
73. Kissed a stranger: Nope.

74. Lost glasses / contacts: Nope.

75. Broken someone's heart: Quite a few.

76. Had your own heart broken: Quite a few times.

77. Been arrested: No.

78. Turned someone down: Yes.

79. Cried when someone died: Yes.

80. Liked a friend that is a girl? Hell yeah.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
81. Yourself: Yeah.

82. Miracles: Yes.

83. God: Sachin, apparently. Otherwise, no.

84. Love at first sight: Totally!!

85. Heaven: Ehhh??

86. Santa Claus: No.

87. Kiss on the first date? Maybe.

88. Angels: Yes. The Human ones. Not the fairy tale ones.

89. Devils: Yes. The Human ones again.

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
90. Is there one person you want to be with right now? Yes. :(

91. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? No.

92. Wanted to kill someone ever? YES.

93. Among your blog mates, whom would you like to kiss? PJ :P

94. Committed a blunder and regretted later? Many times.

95. Wanted to steal your friend's boyfriend / girlfriend? Why would I? I've got the best. :P

96. White: T-shirt

97. Black: Jeans.

98. Red: Shoes.

99. Pink: Bedsheet.

100. Posting this as 100 Truths? Boring. :| :P :P

Open to anyone who wants to take it up :P

Lives of Others

It has been exactly one week since our trip to Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) and I still can't seem to get those images outside my head.

As is the routine with every tourist spot in India, Mahabs (as they call it here) has a huge influx of tourists - local and foreigners. Agreed that the architecture is spectacular and beaches are beautiful. Normally, it would have been an ideal weekend getaway on short budget. Amid the huge tourist influx, I wonder how many wait to notice the poor ladies selling beaded ornaments.

We reached there around 11 in the morning and were immediately hounded by a woman selling bead necklace. She was carrying a baby, carefully put up in a cloth bag hung across her chest. She was pregnant with another child. What was striking about this woman was, the baby was positioned right on her breast, while she continued to have her hands full with these beaded necklaces.

A little while later, as my friends negotiated on the price of hats being sold near the Shore Temple, I saw plenty other women like the earlier one. Most of them were carrying children, just like she was. The rest were pregnant. I was quite overwhelmed when I noticed that every one of these women either had a baby or was pregnant. And they seemed like they were in their early to mid-twenties.

I saw the first woman again. This time the baby had woken up and was crying. She kept yelling out, trying to sell the necklaces to anyone who was interested. At the same time, she tried hard to breast feed her baby and stop its crying.

Although it was a good trip with friends, I am still haunted with questions about those women.

I wonder what their life is like everyday. Children are a huge responsibility and to see them juggling motherhood with livelihood, just humbles me. I cannot imagine such a loss of privacy, but these women seem to have none.

One can't help but imagine...the lives of others.

My Hero!

These days I often find myself lapsing into this different kind of emotion, something that brings tears to my eyes. It has finally dawned upon me that I will be getting married in less than a year and I won't be around each day making that special morning tea that Papa loves.

As a child, I always knew that I'll leave home one day to go and live with my soulmate, my life partner. It always bothered me that I didn't have a brother who'd be there everyday with mummy and papa, after even my sister got married. I'm sure my parents never had that kind of a fear and they've brought up me and my sister with all the comforts that they could provide.

I've been thinking about the times I got mad at Papa for various things. Trivial issues. I wonder why I ever lost my temper at dad from small things. No one's perfect and I expected him to be. It is only now I realize that he is perfect in his own special way. He's my perfect hero.

Papa has always given me whatever I wanted. Always. He cared to listen to me, wanted to hear me out even though I was always chatty with mummy. I always felt that I can talk only the 'serious things' with papa and maintain a sort of 'professionalism' with him, while being pally with mummy. That is how our equation has been working so far.

I was scared as hell when I spoke to him about Snehal but his reaction to it just made me want to hug him. I realize now that I don't actually remember hugging him ever. He was cool about everything, putting my happiness first. He always has as I think of it now.

I remember telling my Dadi that I will marry someone from Hyderabad so that I don't have to go away from home. Now that I'll go away over 1200kms away, I don't know what it must be like for Papa .

This diwali when I went home, I could sense that papa realised it was my last diwali at home. I guess all of us wanted to make is special this time. And we did. For the first time in all these years, my diwali was memorable and I felt truly connected and happy. I'm sure papa did as well.

Each night I dread thinking about the day I go away, I dread seeing tears in my hero's eyes, I dread showing him my tears. But I guess it is bound to happen. Yes, he'll cry and so will I. I can already see that it is a moment of pride for a father when he gets his daughter married and papa

is excited. But those tears are inevitable.

Just wanted to say that Papa I love you very much for everything that you have ever done for me and all the happiness that you have given me in life. You not only gave me a life, but most importantly you gave me the freedom to live it on my terms. Love you papa.

Diwali Lights on Air India

For starters, I seriously believe the Maggi Noodles counter at Chennai Airport should be immediately removed. It is a bane for someone like me who is trying very hard to get rid of her Maggi addiction. I'm serious! I used to be terribly addicted to Maggie, eating it everyday, until my little tummy decided to shout in disgust. Snehal has also asked me not to eat it for my own good. Everyone in chennai airport was eating Maggi yesterday as I waited for my flight to depart. I found myself loitering near the counter, but eventually didn't let myself cave it. Yaaay!

Oh. Almost forgot.

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DIWALI. :) :)

I had always wondered as to what the view might be from up there during diwali. I mean the sky. Thank god that the Air India flight was delayed by a good 20 mins. The view was spectacular. Chennai is surprisingly well planned. Or at least it seems so, from up there. The firecrackers being burst presented such an impressive picture. I imagined a stupid Hollywood style movie as the plane gained altitude. I was a bit worried thinking what would happen if a firecracker comes and hits the plane. Would the pilot steer it away, saving us from the many fiery obstacles that lay ahead? Eh?? Phew!

It was a good flight and I need to find out who makes the cake they serve on Air India. It is absolutely yummy. I love it. I'm talking about the Chennai-Hyderabad sector. Rest of the food was pretty passable, but that slice of the walnut cake was really good. In fact, all the cakes that I've had on Air India flights in the last one year have been more than decent.

Anyways, I'm going to end here. I'm home now and I dont want to be blogging or facebooking or doing anything on the internet for too long. Going to make Tomato Chutney (I make it pretty good...Don't believe me??).

Wish you all a very happy diwali once again. Enjoy the festival and don't be a nuisance to others :P

Dilemma of a Bloggernoulist

For starters, there is no such term as 'Bloggernoulist'. I'm sure everyone knows that already (including 'Blogger' which indicates it as an error with the red curvy underline. Interestingly, 'Blogger' is also not a recognizable word).

After the initial rambling, I now continue writing yet another wayward post.

Three months into India's top Journo school, we now begin our 'Stream Work' i.e. specialization. I'm in New Media and we started off week one with creating a blog . This is strictly for class assignments, not for my random ramblings. The purpose of this blog is to follow a developing news story by means of RSS feeds from various news websites and writing a 500 word report. Two reports infact. Guess what I chose? YES! FORMULA ONE.

Here is the catch. We need to write our drafts, mail it to the professor in-charge and after he approves what we've written, the content goes on the blog. Now this leaves me completely bewildered.

What is the point of having a blog when there is moderation? A few of us do blog (surprising, considering we are all 'NEW MEDIA' students) and most people aren't even aware of how to set up an RSS feed. Sigh!

I read something written by someone (on an Orkut Community) that "as a journalist, ignorance can be your greatest virtue". I'm not sure I agree with it. Hail New Media!

It is unnerving that I should take half an hour to sum up this post. But at least, announcing now to my fellow bloggers that 'Hey, I'm back'.

Gone are those days when writing used to be a lot more fun. Thank god for blogging :)